Autopneumatic musical instrument.



PATENTED MAY '7, 1907 4 F. 0. WHITE. AUTOPNEUM'ATIO MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLL'CATION FILED MAR.13,1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

q Vi [we a a c J 1 2g! allumws N0.--a52,7 1. PATENTED MAY 7, 190'? 1-. 0. WHITE. AUTOPNEUMATIG MUSICAL INSTRUMENT:

APPLICATION FlLED MAR.18,1Q06.

2 SHEETS-$11231 2v is at once a regulator and a tension modifier.-

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. Wnrr i, OF 'MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO wfi'coxa WHITE COMPANY, or MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

racemes May 7, 1907.

Application filed March 18, 1905. Serial No. 805,748.

To all whom it natty concern:

Be it known that. I, FRANK C. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meri- 'den, county of New, Haven, Connecticut,

automatic piano players or pneumatic music playing instruments.

The object of the invention is to provide a tension regulating ap liance which shall be compact, sensitive an uick in action. The construction of the regu ator is likewise such that it may be automatically operated to change from high to low tension, or vice versa, quickly and effectively.

Other important advantages attained by my invention comprise av reduction in the number of parts employed, thereby saving in cost of construction, and increasing the durability and simplicity of the apparatus.

- My invention also makes it possible to condense into much smaller s ace than has hereto fore been possible a S1110 e apparatus which By my improvement the regulator may be effectivelyemployed with such instruments as are provided with means for accentuating certain solo notes by attacking them under high tension while the accompaniment notes are operated under low tension. In this connection, my invention embraces a certain feature of improvement whereby in the playingof suchselections, the accompaniment may be swelled or diminished at will to hei hten the artistic effect.

t is immaterial where the re ulator is placed, that is, whether it is placed between the wind chest and the exhaust, or whether it on the other side of the wind chest from the-exhaust, so as to act as an automatic choker, so called. In the drawings I shall illustrate and describe in detail one preferred form of my invention in the first mentioned location, but will diagrammatically show it in the second location.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of certain parts of a pncuwell known construction, but fitted with my new improvement. Fig. 2 is a section on the lane of the line 2-2 Fig. 1, the wind chest eing broken away, the parts being in position to regulate and control the low tension. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view, the parts being shown in position for high tension. 4 is an elevation of certain parts shown in Fig. 1, looking from left to right. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view.

It is unnecessary for me to describe in this application in detail the various parts of the action mechanism, since my invention is not dependent upon the specific form thereof, and since in the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a known action. To these known parts, therefore, I snail only refer briefly.

A represents what is commonly termed the wind chest, from which air is exhausted or withdrawn by means of a suitable bellows (not shown) in communication with the eX haust chamber B.

C is a power pneumatic for operating at the proper moment a key-striking lever or finger D.

It is the tracker: F represents a perforated -sheet traveling over the perforated edge of said tracker.

The usual ducts G (indicated in dotted lines) lead to the'pneumatics of the usual acmeansfor normally causing a uniformity of tension in the wind chest A. This I attain by the following means. The exhaust chamb'er B is in communication with the wind chest A by whatl may term a wind-way, the course of which is through a collapsible regillator bellows I. In the articular form shown (referring to Fig. 2) J is a trunk, which may be connected at its upper end to the lower side of the wind chest A and at its lower end to the upper side of the exhaust chamber B. J is a fixed partition in said trunk. K indicates a large open port in trunk J above the fixed partition J and leadedge, inlthe particular form shown. Through d1 i we from the Wind. chestfi. The lisp valve the port L is throttle M hinged at its lower thisptirrottle e relatively smaller port N. (I e throttle carried by the throttle M arranged to normally open and uncover nortll. The pots N and L register. The

dioust chamber 3 is in direct communication. with the ports L and N, and these are in direct comnnmicetion (through the bellows i) with the port K, and latter is in direct communication With the wind chest A. P is pin or shoulder on the inner'side of the heck board of the bellows l, and this beers e? 1st the throttle 0 so that as the bellows 1' ccllspses, the tendency will be to close the vslve G and resist the freedom with which the air may be drown through the port ll. From. the foregoing it appears that at ell times the sir Will'beexhausted from the Wind A through the bellows i. it follows that tension in the exhaust chamber 3? will nine the degree to which the bellows psed, and correspondingly, the degree ml; the hollow" i is collapseddetermines .GEfiflfiifl with which air may be willi- U, therefore, determines and regulates, and holds in substentiel uniformity the tension in the wind chest A, under norin el conditions. The degree of resistance in the bellows I determines the degreeoi the tension. The hollows i normally tends to open by the cction oi s. spring Q, and in the preferred form of construction this spring is mounted upon :1. movable support pivoted so toot i'liinuy be manually swung partially about its ax The free end of spring suitably engages va ith the heck board of the bellows .l, for example, by engaging under 0. projection 1 An operating rod Q provided with c linger hutton or handle Q, may be connected with the bracket or support Q, so that the uncle of the spring m y be shifted to control tludoe so of freedomfwith which the bellows i may becollepscd. From the foregoing it follows that when the finger button Q is depressed, the spring Q ects more powerfully on the bellows end the tension of the exhaust Within the wind chest A is increased, with the result that the operution of the power pneunuitic (2 will be more vigorous.

H is a sn'iell power pneumatic, the Function of which is to operate the throttle M. so as to 0 en wide the port L, whenever desired, for t o purpose of obtaining a high tension exhaust in the wind chest A. This operation may be eil'ected in any desired manner, but is preferably brought about by the use of said moun'uitic it, which normally stands open. 11 the tracker E there is a crlorstion com munlooting through d uctS w] l 11 valves '.l.---'i". T is the primary valve and l" the second cry. l llle'l a. POIfOILLlZJOIl in the sheet 11 registers ll'lll? the lust mentioned perforation in the tracker, sir rushes in and operates the primary valve T. This admits sir BT'D atmosphere in suiiicient volume to the secondary vslve T to open the some quickly, and this opening of the secondary valve opens the pneumatic R to the exhaust. This causes the quick collapse of the pneumatic R, and the letter being suitably connected, for example, by 2. rod. R, with the throttle M, moves the same end opens Wide the large or high tension port L, (Fig. 3), thus making a much more free passage for the air from the wind chest A into the exhaust chamber B. This produces a. high tension in chest A, and any power pneumatic that is operated at this time will be operated with much vigor.

it will be understood that the air exhausted from the Windchest always flows through e single passage, and its course is always through bellows 1 Whether for high or low tension. The port L is always utilized, Whether the throttle M is up or down. W l en it is down it me ely sets as o choker, the air still being free to How through said port L by first pessing through the relatively restricted port N which registers therewith.

in the diagrammatic View, Fig. 5, I have conventionally shown the various parts. E is the tracker. EE represent the usual note openings which are in communication with the ectioirvzilves for controlling the key-levers. E represents a marginal open.- ing which in communication with the primary Volvo which controls the operation of the pneumatic it. In this figure I have merely illustrated an arrangement diagram- :neticnlly, in which the regulator is convcntit-molly illustrated at X, the Wind chest at Y and the bellows or exhaust chamber at Z. in this arrangement air enters at X directly into the rcgululor, which is in cmrununicelion with the wind chest Y, which in turn is in comuninicution through an unpertitioncd trunl; J" with the exhaust chamber Z. This merely shows the reguliitor placed outside of or beyond the Wind chest, so as to act as a so called choker, rather than between the Wind chest and the exhaust bellows.

Wl nt l claim is:

1. in ::n. uuto-pneuiuctic musical instrument. a. tension regulator crmnged to control llu tension of the exhaust in the Wind chest and comprising uv collapsible bellows or flue like. :ui admission pbrt Li 0110 end, on (Hlllv'e poi-l, art the other end, said ports commuuicui iugr respectively with the wind chest and with llll. exhaust chamber, a movable throttle for one of suid ports, and means for mltonnili nll opening the some, 9. port through mid ilu'ottlu of less cross-sectional area. than the urea ol the port over which said lu -lilo sluuds, and a valvcior said sumlier port :u'nuuaml to be operated by said bellows.

2. A regulator for auto-pneumatic musical IIO Corrections in Letters Patent No. 852,751,

instruments, comprising a bellows, means tor normally causiln bellows to pand, a Wind-Way passing through said bellows and leading from the Wind chest to the exhaust chamber, a throttle in said wintbway, and means for operating the same, a restricted passage thron h said throttle, and. :1 ve for said restricted passage, the latter being operated by said bellows.

3. In an auto-pneumatic musical instrument, a-Wind-chest, a vacuum chambe', a trunk connecting the same, a lined partition therein, a normally distended bellows. a communicating passage from one end of i trunk to the other through said bellows, a throttle within said bellows for said passe a restricted passage therein, a valve carried by said throttle and arranged to control said restricted passage, means for operating the throttle, and independent means for 3 pcrat- 'ing the valve.

4. In an auto-pneumatic musical instrument, a wind chest, an exhaust chamber in communication therewith, a regulator to control the tension of the exhaust Within the wind chest, said regulator comprising a bellows having an air admission port and an air exhaust port of relatively large proportions, a throttle for one of said ports, a restricted air passage in said valve, a throttle torsaid restricted passage, said valve being con-- trolled by the bellows, and a power pneumatic for controlling the throttle, a valve for controlling said power pneumatic, a tracker, a perforation therein, a duct leading therefrom to said valve for controlling said power pneumatic, whereby when said tracker per oration is open to atmosphere said valve W (Lu Will be operated and the power pneumatic actuated to open said'throttle and abruptly produce high tension in said Wind chest.

5. In an auto-pneumatic musical instrument, a tracker, a tension regulatin and tenthe application of Frank Autopneumatic Musical [SEAL] sion changing device comprising a wind-way, a throttle therein, power pneumatic contrio-liable from the tracker ior' automatically opening said throttle to change from low tension to high a contracted. passage rough. said tlumttle and a valve for said contracted passage, and a bellows in column-- ni -ution with the exhaust chamber of the instrument, saidbelloirs automatically operating said valve to automatically regulate the low tension in the. Wind chest of said instrunieut. I

5. in an auto-pneumatic musical instrument, :1 tracker, a tension regulating and ten sion changing device comprising a Wind-Way, a throttle therein, a power pneumatic controllabl from the tracker for automatically opening said throttle to change lrom low teusion to high tension, :1 contracted air passage through said throttle and 'a valve for said contracted passage,

a bellows in conmiunication with the exhaust chamber of the instrument, said bellows autoimitically operating said valve to automatically regulate the low tension in the wind chest cl said instrument,

and a manually controllable means to vary It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 852,751, granted May 7, 1907, upon White, of-lvleriden, Connecticut, for an improvement in Instruments, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction, as follows: In line 4, page 2, the word throttle, first occurrence, should read flapbalve; line 14, same page, the Word throttle should read flap valve,

and line 30, page 3, the words valve and th1'0ttlc should be transposed; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Olliee.

Signed and sealed this ZSthday of May, A. D, 1907.

E. B. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

